Blocked memories

"Long time no see..."

Wara shivered when she heard those words. Horns of warnings blew loudly in her head as she stared at Zelda.

"I do not know you, neither have I ever made your acquaintance." Wara replied with a firm tone. She did not know where she had gotten the courage from.

Nak scoffed and whispered with disgust. "They suit each other, two mad women."

Zelda heard it and her smile widened. Her eyes turned before her head then her body as she turned to stare at Nak. It was unnatural.

"Nak'la." Her voice was smooth like the stones beaten by the currents of the water. "Are you not pleased to see me?"

Nak's frown deepened further as he furrowed his eyebrows with disgust. "I am not pleased. I wish you would disappear and return to wherever you came from!"

Sica took in a sharp breath hearing Nak's outburst. Contrary to his expectations, Zelda only laughed. But he knew what kind of laugh she had given. It was a warning.

She kept smiling as she spoke, her silver eyes staring deep into Nak's soul. "The feeling is mutual."

She turned back the same unnatural way she had turned and stared at Yhra, her smiling dimming a bit to reveal a slightly serious face. She still looked peaceful but that was the problem. She looked so calm and that in itself was a threat.

"You must be Yhra. I have long awaited the day I would meet you."

She stuck out her hand for a handshake and immediately, both Sica and Nak screamed "DO NOT!"

Yhra, who had held her hand out for a handshake immediately pulled it back when she heard the scream. Zelda's smile widened as the women stared at her in confusion. Though it did not take long for Wara to understand why.

"You are the siren who sang the song of death."

Zelda's eyes widened subtly and her smile widened into a grin. "What makes you say that?"

Before Wara could reply, Fjammi, who had been standing quietly behind them all could not hold his patience anymore and yelled. "Zelda! You came back!"

In order to emphasize his excitement, the flames he held in his body had burst out, slowly singeing his clothes but he was not bothered by it as he jumped into Zelda's open arms.

Yhra had started to shout for him to be careful but paused when she saw that the flames had slowly put themselves out.

The boy was hugging Zelda with a huge smile on his face and Yhra paused. She had never seen him smile that widely before.

Wara on the other hand felt a huge hole in her heart. The scene reminded her of her son, Zola and his excitement everytime he saw her. Her fingers tightened into a fist as she watched the heartwarming scene.

Yhra shook her head and immediately turned away. She had decided she had seen enough and left to prepare a fire.

After some time, the boy let go and then stared at her with a smile which slowly died when he asked a question. "Why did you take so long?"

Zelda said nothing as his expression changed into one of realisation and embarassment. "Oh! Do not answer, I already know."

Zelda only winked at him. Before Nak could interrogate the boy as he knew nothing of what he was referring to, Wara immediately asked Zelda.

"How did you know what the Faery King wanted?" All feelings of happiness died there as each and every person there (excluding Zelda) shivered at the thought of the King.

Nak felt uncomfortable by the mention of the King and immediately, like he had seen something ill about to befall everyone, he walked towards Yhra who was setting a fire.

Wara noticed this but did not say anything. Zelda on the other hand smiled. Something that had begun to irk Wara greatly. "The witch. She took your son did she not?" She asked for Wara to reply in the positive. "Well, if you do not know, there is a bounty on your son's head. Even the humans are to look for a young black boy with deep scar on his back."

Wara paled. How could the King have known about the scar on her son's neck. She quickly shook of the thought and fired back. "Then why did he send the witch?"

Zelda gave a short chuckle. "Oh that? It is quite simple." Wara frowned. "What do you mean?"

Sica furrowed his eyebrows and immediately grabbed Fjammi's arm. "Let us leave. It would soon be night fall and this does not concern us." He looked up to ask Nak for support but Nak had already left, and so had Yhra.

There was a fire lit nearby and Sica realised he was the last to come to the conclusion that the conversation did not concern him.

He groaned and quickly pulled the boy away.

Zelda raised an eyebrow when she noticed that Wara had not yet realised anything. "You." She replied. "You would obliterate every and anyone who would try to touch the boy. So, he sent Dakota. The witch."

Zelda turned and began to walk towards the fire. She lifted her hand in a beckoning motion and a log that was lying on the ground a few steps away was attracted to her hand. The insects that had taken the log to be their home immediately fell off, singed to the point of no return.

Wara followed after her. Though she was amazed by what Zelda had done, she did not show it.

Zelda then set the log down as sat on it. It was not close to the fire but it was close enough for them to feel its warmth.

"What is so special about this witch?" Wara asked, taking a seat when Zelda tapped the space beside her. "She told me her child had been held captive by the Faery King."

There was a strange smile on Zelda's lips. It was not genuine, Wara noticed.

"The child is probably dead."

Wara's eyes widened slightly. "All this, for my son?" Then she frowned. "There is something you are not telling me. What business does my son have with the Faery King that he goes to such lengths to kill another's child just to make sure he gets mine?"

Zelda shifted her eyes to look at Wara, then her head. There was still that smile on her face, except her silver drops held mockery in them.

"You know nothing do you?" The statement was not a question but a mockery. Her voice laced with mirth as she stared intently into Wara's eyes.

"Do you even know what you are?" Zelda's voice was laced with amusement as she questioned Wara.

Wara could only stare back with the same intensity but deep down she was completely confused. Then it clicked.

"You are a seer." Wara's features immediately squeezed itself into one of disgust. "You are a seer and a siren. There is also more to you." Then she paused and whispered to herself. "Why do I know this?"

The amusement on Zelda's face became prominent. "Classic." Zelda said, smiling at her. "The most common thing ever."

Wara was getting a bit frustrated with the way the woman spoke and so she raised her voice. "What in Aine's name are you talking about?"

Zelda cocked her head. "Who?"

Wara did not like that. "Answer my question first."

"You have blocked memories Khari." It was strange, the way Zelda was so sure of it.

"What -" Wara began to say but Zelda cut her short. "Who is Hane?"

"Aine." Wara corrected. "An idol to the ..." Then she paused as Zelda's smile grew back into a grin.

"Come on, tell me. An idol to who?"

By now, the others were staring, clearly listening in on the conversation. They were are confused as Wara.

"I- Why do I know this?" Wara questioned herself. "We clearly lived in Dakij before we left for Āsimati." Then she realised what was wrong with her statement.

Dakij was home to Dakijen and she left her previous settlement only because of...

"No." Wara whispered. "You are right. But how?"

Zelda did not reply but she turned her head to stare at Nak. "By tomorrow, you will know why."